U.S. senators serve in the legislative branch of the national government.

The Senate comprises one of two parts of the U.S. Congress, the other is the House of Representatives.

Two senators are chosen to represent each state and are elected to a six-year term.

Connecticut's current senators are Democrats Christopher J. Dodd and Joseph Lieberman. Dodd was re-elected in 2004. He is up for re-election once again in 2010.

Lieberman is running for re-election this year as an independent candidate, after losing the August primary to challenger Ned Lamont.

There are five candidates running for one seat.

According to the Connecticut Secretary of the State's Office, the candidates will appear on the November ballot in the order that follows:

Alan Schlesinger	Republican Hometown: Woodbridge Profession: Attorney Education: University of Connecticut School of Law, University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Finance Experience: Two-term former mayor of Derby, six-term former state representative, former Selectman of the town of Orange, member of the National Conference of State Legislatures
Debate Highlights Iraq Video Nuclear Risks Video Oil Prices Video Homeland Security Video Social Security Video	At A Glance: Face The State: Alan Schlesinger Alan Schlesinger's Closing Statement Issues: Schlesinger has plans to guarantee Social Security, make Medicare eligibility requirements affordable, support seasonal employee visas and eliminate special interest tax loopholes. More IRAQ: "The problem in Iraq is not the military. The problem in Iraq is political. ... Why not a three-state solution? Why not give the Kurds, the Sunnis, the Shiites self-governance with a national federation council to distribute the oil wealth? I believe the sectarian violence would be brought to an end and finally our troops would come home." - WFSB Debate on Oct. 19
Ned Lamont	Democrat Hometown: Greenwich Profession: Businessman Education: Harvard, Yale Experience: Eight years in local government, chair of the state investment advisory council, civic boards. Runs a business-training program for Bridgeport High School students
Debate Highlights Iraq Video Nuclear Risks Video Oil Prices Video Homeland Security Video Social Security Video	At A Glance: Face The State: Ned Lamont Ned Lamont's Closing Statement Issues: Lamont has voiced strong opposition to the war in Iraq and has pledged to address student loans, Social Security and affordable health care for all. More IRAQ: "Our best hope for a stable Iraq is give the Iraqis the incentive to stand up and take responsibility, for them to take their own destiny, and I have a plan for them to do just that. ... Over the course of the next year, let (the Iraqis) know that the American troops are going to redeploy and the Iraqis have to take care of their own destiny." - WFSB Debate on Oct. 19
Timothy Knibbs	Concerned Citizens Party of Connecticut Hometown: Plantsville Profession: UPS employee Education: Bachelor's in math education from Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown, Wisc. Experience: Member, Central Baptist Church, involved with the Concerned Citizens Party of Connecticut since 1992, former school teacher
Debate Highlights Iraq Video Nuclear Risks Video Oil Prices Video Homeland Security Video Social Security Video	At A Glance: Face The State: Timothy Knibbs Timothy Knibbs' Closing Statement Issues: Knibbs supports tax credits for alternative energies, expanding the use of nuclear power as an energy source, deploy the National Guard to defend the homeland and partially privatize Social Security. More IRAQ: "We need to get out of Iraq immediately. ... We had no constitutional, no legal, no moral grounds to go into Iraq to begin with. When you're doing something that's fundamentally wrong, the correct thing to do is to stop, and stop it immediately." - WFSB Debate on Oct. 19
Ralph Ferrucci	Green Party Hometown: New Haven Profession: Truck Driver Education: Paier College of Art Experience: New Haven County Green Party's media adviser, New Haven County Green Party's Treasurer
Debate Highlights Iraq Video Nuclear Risks Video Oil Prices Video Homeland Security Video Social Security Video	At A Glance: Face The State: Ralph Ferrucci Ralph Ferrucci's Closing Statement Issues: Ferrucci has focused on universal health care, free college tuition, repealing No Child Left Behind and the PATRIOT acts, ending nuclear power and seeking alternatives to gas and diesel, and imposing wage caps for CEOs. More IRAQ: "We need to withdraw immediately. We had no right to be in Iraq. There were no weapons of mass destruction found there and we have made the Middle East unstable. The longer we stay, the more unstable the Middle East will be. ... If we are going to sit there as long as it takes, then we are never going to leave Iraq." - WFSB Debate on Oct. 19
Joe Lieberman	Connecticut for Lieberman Party Hometown: Stamford Profession: Incumbent Senator, Attorney Education: Yale Experience: Private legal practice, Connecticut State Senate (10 years), Connecticut Attorney General (5 years), U.S. Senator (18 years)
Debate Highlights Iraq Video Nuclear Risks Video Oil Prices Video Homeland Security Video Social Security Video	At A Glance: Face The State: Joe Lieberman Joe Lieberman's Closing Statement Issues: Lieberman's campaign issues include, in part, affordable health care for all, securing U.S. transportation systems and chemical plants, preserving and protecting Social Security and supporting research for a cure to breast cancer. More IRAQ: "I recently issued a 10-point plan to get the job done there, including the removal of Donald Rumsfeld as the secretary of defense and specific new ideas for better training Iraqi forces to bring our troops home. ... We need to stay there as long as there is a reasonable prospect of our help of building a free and independent Iraq." - WFSB Debate on Oct. 19
SOURCE: Campaign Web sites, staffers NOTE: Issues included here summarize each candidate's basic platforms

Back to the Voter's Guide